Hand truck for transporting outboard motors



May 6, 1952 Filed Oct. 15, 1947 Patented May 6, 1952 UNITED STATES TPATENT OFFICE HAND TRUCKFOR TRAN SPORTING OUTBOARD. MOTORS Roy S. ltitcheygfit. Paul, Minn.

Application October 13, 1947, Serial No. 779,583

2 Claims. (Cl. 280-53) This invention relates to a device for transporting an article or machine such as arr-outboard motor. As is well known, outboard motors are rather heavy, particularly thelarger sizes and the carrying of these motors is a" rather arduous and inconvenient task. It is sometimes necessary to transport the motor some "distance from an automobile to the boat or from a; cottage or other residence to a boat.

It is an object of this invention to provide a very simple and inexpensive means to which the outboard motor can be secured and by means of which it can be easily and quickly transported.

It is also an object of the invention toprovide a device to which the motor can be easily-"and quickly secured, which device comprises relatively small parts which can be conveniently carried in an automobile either in the body of the same or in the trunk.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for transporting an outboard motor comprising a somewhat elongated supporting member-a, handle-carrying member, onend of said supporting member and said handle-carrying member being adapted to be received and secured in the clamping means of the outboard motor which is used to clamp the motoron to a boat, said handle preferably having a p'ortion disposed at one end of said motor, together with a truck adapted to be connected to the other end of said supporting member.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to provide a device for transporting an outboard motor comprising an elongatedplate or board of general rectangular shape, a plate having a rod-like handle secured thereto; said last mentioned plate and one end of said plate or board being adapted to be received in and secured in the clamping means of said outboard motor which is used to clamp said motor to a boat, said handle having a portion adapted to extend across one end of said outboardl l rnotor, together with an axle having wheels at the ends thereof and having clamping means adapted to be connected to the other end of said elongated plate or board.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference char- "vol acters refer to similar parts throughout the sev- Fig. 2 is a plan view of said device with said motor shown in dotted lines; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a handle-carrying plate used.

Referring to the drawings, a device is shown comprising a supporting member lfl. While this supporting member might be variously formed, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated it is shown in the form of a substantially rectangular plate or board. An outboard motor II is shown disposed at one side of member ID having its gas tank end I la at :the upper end of said member III, as shown in Fig. 1, and its propeller end llb at the lower end, of said member I0 and resting thereon. Saidoutboard motors are commonly provided with a yoke or U-shaped portion Ilc adapted to embrace the sill or transom of a boat, one side of which carries a clamping means lid comprising a handle-equipped screw threaded into' said side and having a clamping head thereon. The device of the present invention comprises a member I2 which is illustrated as a rather thin rectangular plate preferably made of metal, which plate is secured by screws or rivets l3 to the flattened por tion of a rod-like handle I4. Handle l4 extends rectilinearly for some distance parallel to one end of plate 12 and is then curved substantially at right angles to have an end portion extending substantially parallel to one side of plate [2. One end of the board or plate I0 together with plate 12 are adapted to be received in and secured in one end of the yoke lie and to be clamped therein by the clamping member I Id, as shown in Fig. 1. There are usually two of the clamping screws Ild disposed in spaced relation so that members In and I2 are securely clamped and held in the clamping means comprising members He and lid. The device of this invention also includes an axle l6 which has journaled on the ends thereof respectively a pair of wheels I1, which wheels are held on said axle by small collars or washers l8 secured to said axle and by cotterpins 19 extending through axle I6. While various types of wheels might be used, inpractice it has been found convenient to use a small wheel having rubber tires Ila in a metal central part Ilb, such as the wheels commonly used on coaster wagons used by children. Axle I6 has secured thereto in spaced relation clamping means 20 which comprises a yoke or U-shaped member 2011 and a clamping member 20b comprising a screw with a suitable handle 200 at one end and a clamping head 20d at its other end. The other end of plate or board In is adapted to be received in the clamping means 20 and firmly secured therein by the clamping member 206.

When the motor is being transported in an automobile it can be placed in the body or trunk of the same. The wheels I! can be quickly removed from axle I6 by merely withdrawing the cotterpins I9. The member I0, axle IE, wheels I! and the plate I2 with member I4 secured thereto can then be placed in the body of the automobile or the trunk in very compact relation. These parts will take up very little room when placed one upon the other. When the outboard motor is to be transported, one end of member I and plate I2 will be placed in the yoke I I0 and quickly clamped therein by the clampingmember IId. Handle I4 will then extend along one side of motor I I and its free end will extend transversely across the upper end of the motor, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Wheels H can be quickly put on the ends of axle I6 and the cotterpins I9 put in place. Clamping means 20 will now be engaged with the other end of member ID and clamped thereon. The motor can now be wheeled like a cart or wheelbarrow by the operator merely holding the end of handle I4. The ends of the motor are revoluble about the crankshaft so that it would be inconvenient to try to hold and transport the motor by grasping the gas tank. For this reason the handle I4 is provided. The handle is rigidly secured to member I 0 and the motor can be transported with great ease and facility. When the motor is at a cottage or other residence the axle I6 and wheels I! will be left in assembled relation. The truck comprising these parts can thus be very quickly attached to and detached from member III.

From the above description it will be seen that I have provided a'very simple, inexpensive and yet very emcient device for transporting an outboard motor. The parts are few and can be inexpensively produced and secured. As above described the parts are also capable of being stored in a very small space. The parts are also rugged in structure and will not be subject to easy breakage or damage. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual practice and found to be very successful and efiicient.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts, without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and combinations of parts disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for transporting an outboard motor having in combination, an outboard motor, a yoke and clamping screws carried by said motor, an elongated plate-like member of a thickness to have one end received in said yoke, a plate, a handle secured to one end of said plate and having a portion extending longitudinally thereof for quite adistance, and a second portion bent substantially at a right angle toward the other side of said plate, said plate being constructed and arranged to be disposed flat against the said end of said elongated plate-like member and to be received in said yoke therewith, said platelike member and said plate being adapted to be clamped in said yoke by said screws whereby said motor extends longitudinally of said elongated plate-like member and has its lower end supported adjacent the other end thereof, said first mentioned handle portion extending along the side of the upper part of said motor and said second portion extending across the end of said ,upper part in longitudinal alinement with said motor and elongated plate-like member, an axle having clamping means secured thereto including a yoke and clamping screws, the other end of said elongated plate being receivable in said last mentioned'yoke and adapted to be clamped therein by said last mentioned screws, and wheels journaled on said axle, said elongated plate-like member, plate and attached handle and said axle with said wheels being readily separable for storage.

2. A device for transporting an outboard motor having in combination, an outboard motor, a yoke and clamping screws carried by said motor, said yoke being adapted to embrace a boat transom and be secured thereto by said screws, a board of general rectangular shape, a flat member, a rod-like handle secured to one end of said flat member and extending away from said member substantially in alinement with said side for quite a distance and having its other end bent substantially at a right angle, said fiat member being adapted to lie in flat engagement with one end portion of said board, said flat member and portion being constructed and arranged to be received in said yoke and clamped therein by said screws whereby said motor extends longitudinally above said board and engages the same adjacent its other end, and said handle extends along one side of the upper part of said motor and transversely across the end of said part, and an axle having readily operated clamping means carried thereby adapted to receive the other end portion of said board and be detachably clamped thereto, and wheels removably carried on the ends of said axle, said board, fiat member, axle and wheels thus being readily separable for storage.

ROY S. RITCHEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,367,316 Harris Feb. 1, 1921 2,390,704 George Dec. 11, 1945 2,442,705 Meyer June 1, 1948 2,450,304 Shifiet Sept. 28, 1948 2,484,227 Houk et a1 Oct. 11, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 235,406 Switzerland Mar. 16, 1945 

